THE PNP is mum on reports that Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who has been tagged by arrested suspects as the mastermind in the March 4 killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others, is now in Cambodia.
“I’m not at liberty to reveal the information with respect to the location of Congressman Teves,” PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing at the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame late Saturday.
Fajardo also said there is going to be a significant development in the investigation of the Degamo murder case in the coming days.
“The CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) and even the SITG (Special Investigation Task Force) handling the main case, specifically the killing of Gov. Degamo and the others, have a lot of evidence in their possession,” said Fajardo.
“And we believe that in the coming days, there is going to be a major development in the killing of Gov. Degamo and the others,” said Fajardo, without elaborating.
Teves’ alleged location was revealed by media personality Ramon Tulfo on his Facebook page on Saturday, citing information from his sources. Tulfo said Teves is allegedly protected by a “big drug lord in that country.”
Fajardo said, “Suffice it to say, all agencies of government are helping to convince Congressman Teves to come home and face the charges being leveled against him.”
“Our chief PNP and our SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government) have stated that we are ready to give security to Congressman Teves and his family as soon as he’s back in the Philippines,” said Fajardo.
Speaker Martin Romualdez has issued a travel authority to Teves covering the period February 28 to March 9. Teves has said he went to the US for a medical treatment.
Last week, Teves asked the House leadership to allow him go on a two-month leave of absence because of a “very grave threat” on his life and his family. He said he will be back in the country as soon as the threat is addressed.
Fajardo said Teves has yet to communicate with the PNP with regards to his security if when he returns.
“Bu the PNP had been coordinating with the House of Representatives to iron out (details) with respect to the issue of providing security to Congressman Teves and possibly even to the members of his family,” she said.
Asked if the PNP has coordinated with Interpol to locate Teves, Fajardo said, “Our coordination with other agencies of government and even with our foreign counterparts are ongoing because if we remember, this is not a simple case. This involves the death of nine individuals including Governor Degamo.”
Two of four suspects in government custody have said Teves ordered the killing of Degamo.
However, investigators have yet to formally charge the lawmaker.
A fifth suspect has been killed in a shootout with policemen.
Police earlier said 10 to 12 gunmen were involved in the killing.
Teves, his two sons, and several others were charged on March 12 and March 15 with illegal possession of firearms and explosives after a series of raids on his and close associates’ houses on March 10.
On March 7, Teves and five others were charged by the PNP with murder before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with three killings in Negros Oriental in 2019.
PROBE
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri assured Degamo’s family that the Senate will conduct an inquiry on the governor’s assassination and other killings in province.
Zubiri made the assurance after Mayor Janice Degamo, the slain governor’s wife, said she wants a Senate investigation.
She said they have sent a letter-request to the Senate as early as 2020 so the upper chamber can investigate the killings in the province but apparently nothing has happened.
Mayor Degamo, in an earlier interview, said they have sent a letter to Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and other senators to investigate abuses and killings in the province but nothing happened.
Zubiri said there were resolutions filed in the Senate urging the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs leaded by Dela Rosa to investigate the killing of Degamo.
The committee has scheduled a hearing last week but deferred it to give authorities more time to conduct their respective investigations.
Zubiri said, “I believe there will be one soon. There was a request lang from the DOJ for two weeks lead time so they quickly apprehend those on the run and prepare the case buildup. That should end soon.” — With Raymond Africa
